S&255 

•Cis 







THE 



CULTIYATION OF FLAX 



AND PEEPABATION OF 



FLAX COTTON 



BY 



THE CHEVALIER CLAUSSEN PROCESS. 



NEW-YOEK 



1852. 



FEINTED BY JOHN A. GKAY, 54 GOLD, OOR. FULTON STREET. 

1852. 



manufacturing pui-poses. Tho object, then, of this breaking or partial cleaning, and 
which may be called the preparatory stage in the process, is to reduce the bulli and 
weight of the material to be afterwards operated upon, to render its transport less 
costly to the grower, and also to permit him to retain a portion as chaff, useful for 
mixing with other cattle food ; thus returning to the soH a large proportion of the 
crop, which hitherto has been entirely abstracted from the soil, or rendered valueless 
by the process of steeping. The manufacturer or person employed to prepare the 
Flax for him also derives an advantage from this arrangement, inasmuch as he is 
enabled to steep a larger proportion of pure fibre than formerly in the steeping-vats, 
and the chemical agents employed, whether fermentative or otherwise, are enabled 
to act more rapidly and more directly upon the fibre than when in its whole or 
unbroken state. It is also adapted in this stage for manufacture into Canvas, 
Sail-cloth, Cordage, and other coai-se kinds of fabrics. In the same room were two 
cutting-machines for reducing the length of the fibre when required for preparation 
for cotton and woolen machinery. 

" Having shown the means by wliich the Flax required for steeping was prepared, 
the visitors were led into the steeping-rooms, where Dr. Ryan exhibited some Flax 
in the course of boiling and steeping in cold water, in the unbroken as well as broken 
state. When boiled, the period of operation is about four hours ; when steeped in 
cold solution of caustic soda, it is not sufficiently steeped in less than twenty-foui' 
hom-s. By the present mode of steeping, the period occupied ranges from three 
days to six weeks. The contents of one of the vats having been sufficiently boiled> 
it was taken out and placed in a bath slightly acidulated with sulphm-ic acid. After 
diying, the fibre was fitted for the further process of scutching and cleansing. 

" Having gone through the whole of the steps required to produce the fibre for tho 
linen manufacturer, the ' cottonizing ' process was next explained. The Flax having 
been partially, cleaned and boiled, precisely as in the case of the long fibre, it was 
placed in the first of a series of six vats containmg a cold solution of soda and water, 
in which it remained till fully saturated. Thence it was removed into vat No. 2, with 
a solution of sulphmic acid, where it remained as long as any bubbles of carbonic 
acid rose to the surface. It was in tliis vat that what is called the ' sphtting process ' 
takes place, and where the mechanical action of chemical forces is so beautifully 
illustrated. The effect was almost instantaneous. The character of the Flax fibre 
became at once changed fi-om that of a damp aggregated substance to a fight 
expansile mass of cotton-like texture. Its specific gravity was completely altered, 
and the mass, which at first lay submerged beneath, gradually floated like an 
expanding sponge to the surface of the fluid. The result was generally and loudly 
cheered by all present. For the purpose of removing any superfluous acid, and to 
carry the separation a stage fai-ther, the fibre was immersed in a second vat of 
a weak solution of carbonate of soda. It was then ready for washing, carding, 
and spinning, in the same manner as ordinary cotton. 

"A third, equally interesting and not less important process shown, was that of 
bleaching fibres, yarns, and fabrics. Under existing systems, the time consumed in 
bleaching a piece of linen occupies fi-om three weeks to as many months. Under 
the Chevalier Claussen system, the period required is not more than as many hours, 
while the chemical ingredients employed, so far from injming the material, gi-eatly 
improve its quality. The rapid change in the color, as in the previous instance, of 
the texture of the substance, was warmly applauded. 

" The bleaching process concluded, the visitors were shown into the ' carding-room, 






Q ^ 



CO 



<^ 



LIBRftRY OF CONGRESS 



^ 001 437 990 3 ♦ 

where a number of machines, such as ' devils,' ' carders,' and others usually employed 
in the respective branches of manufacture, were shown at work. 

" We may state that jute, hemp, and various other fibrous substances were shown 
to be capable of being treated upon the above process, and that, in answer to several 
questions, it was stated that the ' Flax Cotton ' and ' Flax "Wool ' could be prepared 
at prices not exceeding Zd per pound. 

The profits to be obtained from the preparation of Flax Cotton are such 
as to offer the greatest inducements for persons to embark in the under- 
taking, as shown in the following estimate of the cost of production and 
value of the article : 

Five tons of Flax Straw, at 810, - - - 850 00 
Ingredients employed, Labor and Interest on 

Capital invested, - - - - - 60 00 



$110 00 
One ton of Flax Cotton, at 10c. per lb. - - 200 00 



Profit on 1 ton, - - - - |90 00 

In England, where they have to pay at the rate of from $15 to |20 
per ton, the cost of production is only 6c., and the market value of it in 
the prepared state is 12c., leaving a profit of 100 per cent. 

I am credibly informed that abundance of Flax Straw can be had in 
Ohio at $5 per ton. When farmers find it profitable for them to raise 
Flax on account of the seed alone, and place no value upon the straw, I 
think it would be within bounds to base our calculations on obtaining 
straw for Flax Cotton purposes at $5. You will perceive that in the 
above statement I value Flax Straw at $10, which is the maximum price 
paid for it in this neighborhood. 

The Scotch patent has been sold for 25,000Z. sterling, ($125,000,) and 
from good authority I learn that double that amount has been given for 
the French patent. Mr. E. G. Roberts has sold the right in this country 
for the States of Maine, New-Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Con- 
necticut, Rhode Island, New-York, and Illinois, and is negotiating with 
several parties for other States. Applications have been received for 
every State in the Union, even Oregon not excepted. 

Allan Cameron. 



t/BJtyj 







